History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 124

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 124

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teen inches to the weather. The chimney was situ- ated in the centre of the building and constructed of rough stone, with cross-sticks of oak. Its inside was plastered with lime made of clam- and oyster-shells found in the Indian graves in the vicinity of the city of Naramake. The windows were few and small. The main fireplace faced one of the front windows, from which its owner could see Long Island and the waters intervening, and the movements of any friendly or piratical vessels sailing up or down the coast. We have thus particularized this house and its owner, as both liave a history in connection with the Revolu- tionary war. Ten years later Tryon's headquarters were in the vicinity of Huntington, L. I., from whence his army raided upon the defenseless inliabi- tants on the west shore from Greenwich to Fairfield, destroying their dwellings and carrying away their produce and running off their cattle to replenish his commissariat.

Though the dweller of Pampaskcshank had fre- quently been in communication with Tryon's com- missary, yet he had not had the pleasure of a per- sonal acquaintance with the British commander. His introduction to him was as follows: Hc was the owner of a trading-vessel. When returning from Boston with a cargo of general merchandise, he was met by Tryon's fleet midway of the Sound and his vessel captured and himself made a prisoner, where- upon lie commanded his captors to take him before Tryon, the result, it is said, being he was soon re- leased, but not till the enemy had unloaded his cargo. Tradition says that he received therefor in British gold more than it was worth. This incideut brought the dweller of Pampaskeshank and Tryon's commis- sary into more intimate business relations, which the former used to his pecuniary advantage. When for- aging upon the inhabitants of Long Island failed to furnish subsistence to the British army, Tryon sent to the main land trading-parties who usually landed at midnight at Wilson's or Belden's Point, and the house at Pampaskeshank became their rendezvous. But they were exceedingly cautious when approaching the shore. Unless the signal indicated that the coast- guard were at a respectful distance they remained in the offing. But if a light from the fireplace reflected through the window, they ventured to land aud en- tered thic house, when its owner proceeded to drive sharp and profitable bargains for produce and cattle from his domain, which could only be designated by his mark, that of a " crop of the lefft eear." Tryon found in his new-made friend a loyal subject of the British crown. So he instructed his commissary not to molest his friend's property or run off cattle upon which his mark was found. It may be inferred from what has been said that the dweller of Pampaske- shank was no friend of the patriots of the Revolution. He stood in the same attitude towards them and the government that many stood in the late Rebellion, neutral or indifferent, but used every device to pro-

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cure contracts, or became blockade-runners, by which means they became suddenly wealthy at the expense of the blood of the patriots of the government. The personage referred to was not really an enemy of the country, as his eldest son served in the Continental arıny.

The following is a copy of an order, in Tryon's own handwriting, found by workinen, when repairing his house in 1798, between the roof-boards and rafters, and decides his status in the Revolutionary war :

" Deliver the beef, grain, and vegetables, previously ordered, to my commissary. Send them to the usual place of shipment. "GEN. TRYON."

Upon the territory lying between the Pampaske- shank River and " Rooton Point" resided in the Rev- olution certain persons whose sympathies were with the British government, and whose residences were the rendezvous of the Tories, Cow-Boys, and the for- aging-parties from Tryon's army. Here congregated the Tories and the disaffected towards the patriots for several miles sonth and west of it. This was the centre from which radiated the parties which plundered the inhabitants of the main land. Here originated the frequent false alarms that excited the fears of the patriots. Here also congregated after nightfall dis- loyal men from Cranberry Plain and from the thickly- settled part of the town and from the parish of Mid- dlesex, whose plottings made the patriots feel that their lives and property were insecure. This state of affairs led the inhabitants of the town, at a special meeting, February, 1782, to devise measures to meet the exigency. The meeting voted to raise ninety men to serve six months, who were distributed as follows: Eighteen east of Norwalk River, eighteen at the going on of Stephens Island, eighteen at Old Well, eighteen at Flax Hill, and eighteen at Middle- sex, the allotment of which shows that the objective point was not only to guard the coast, but to keep in subjection the disaffected persons residing within the territory purchased by Capt. Patrick of the Indians. The men for this special duty were enrolled in their respective localities by men appointed for that par- ticular duty. But said rolls were never put upon the town records, but were left in the hands of the com- manders of the companies and were lost. The writer, when a lad, saw in the garret of the house in which he resided a roll of the guard stationed on Flax Hill, -viz .: Walter, Thomas, Daniel, and John Hoyt, Eliahim, George, Hezekiah, John, and Nathaniel Raymond, Eliahim Smith and Eliahim, Jr., Hopkins and Moses Byxbee, Joseph, Joshua, and William Bouton, Nathan Knapp, and Stephen Wood. The following are the names of the guard of Middlesex, as rehearsed to the writer by old people who died fifty years ago : Daniel, Eli, and Moses M. Warren, John and William Reed, Nathan, Nathaniel, and Josiah Hoyt, Eliahim, Joseph, Nathan, Joseph, Jr., Warren, David, Gershom, and Samuel Richards, Nathaniel Street, and Paul Raymond. The occupation of the

coast between the Pampaskesbank and Rooton Point by the British army from Long Island was for strateg- ical reasons, as they were not only able to gather sup- plies for their army, but to communicate with their main force on the line of the Hudson River by relays.

Fifty years ago, Thomas, Daniel, and Walter Hoyt, William Bonton, and Stephen Wood, aged residents of Flax Ilill, used to rehearse to the children of the neighborhood their exploits with the red-coats and Tories of the Revolution. They having on one occa- sion received reliable information that the British and Tories had arranged to meet at midnight at a certain house between the Pampaskeshank and Rooton Point to organize a raid to capture some of the patriots, the guard of Flax Hill and Middlesex rallied and pro- ceeded to capture the would-be captors. They sur- rounded the house in which the Tories had congre- gated. They watched for the enemy till morning without avail. When at a respectful distance to- wards their homes, the enemy emerged from their concealment and ran for their boats; but those left in charge of them, having become alarmed at the prolonged absence of their comrades, recrossed the Sound, upon which the enemy fled into the forest and the guard gave up the pursuit. On another oe- casion the guards started in the night to arrest several persons near the coast who were charged with the crime of piloting Tryon's raiding-parties through the country, but upon their approach they fled, as usual, and could not be found. One of the Tories whom the guard was very desirous to capture did not return to his family until the close of the war. He was reported as having fled to Canada. But very soon after the surrender of the British army at Yorktown he re- turned to his family. A short time previous to the burning of Norwalk was heard in quick succession the report of three muskets, the signal that the enemy were landing, which brought every patriot in the town to the coast. The affair, however, was but a ruse of the Tories for the purpose of seeing what would be the effect upon the people, that Tryon might judge if it would be practicable to cope with the rebels when he was prepared to land his army. Finding that they had been deceived, they pursued the Tories, and were about making them prisoners when they passed from view.

Sunday morning, July 22, 1781, a company of British troops landed on the west shore of the Pampaske- shank, and, with a few disaffected persons, proceeded to the parish church of Middlesex for the purpose of making prisoners of the congregation. But those members most obnoxious to the troops and Tories being absent from the morning service, the enemy hid behind the fences until the afternoon services began, when they emerged from their concealment, environed the church, and doubly guarded the door with bayo- nets crossed to prevent egress, over which, it is said, Dr. Marther leaped into the arms of the enemy. The

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men were all taken out of the church and tied in couples, with their pastor at the head of the column, and marched down to the coast and conveyed to Long Island, thence to New York, where they were con- fined in the old Provost prison for several weeks. As soon as the information of the capture of Dr. Marther and his people was known, the inhabitants and the coast-guard rallied, and pursued and exchanged sev- eral shots with the enemy, some of whom were seen to fall.

For several years after this transaction it was sup- posed that the enemy carried away their dead. Nor were they undeceived until about 1790. A party while in pursuit of game found a cave in the rocks in the southern part of the parish of Middlesex, the exploration of which satisfied them that it had been the hiding-place of the British and Tories in the Revolution. The party were surprised to find in it the remains of several human beings, probably the skeletons of the enemy who were seen to fall when retreating from Middlesex church, whom their com- rades secreted until a favorable opportunity should offer for their removal to Long Island, but which the vigilance of the patriots prevented them from doing. So this cave became their sepulchre. Among the articles found by the explorers of the cave were an axe, a toot-horn, several heads of spears, parts of one or two old king's arms, pieces of iron hoop, and stones placed for a fireplace beneath crevices in the rocks, through which the smoke escaped. Also were found large quantities of bones of fowls, cattle, sheep, and pigs. The Indians were not unfamiliar with the loca- tion of this cave, as many of the implements used by them were discovered within and about it.

The Revolutionary war was now near its end, leaving the people in extreme poverty and in unpleasant re- lations towards those of their neighbors who had been tlie instruments of despoiling them of their hard earnings to enrich themselves and keep the British army from starving. There should, though, be some distinction made between the Tories and Cow-Boys who infested Norwalk in the Revolution. The for- mer usually were men of property,-substantial men. They were charged with the crime of giving " aid and comfort to the enemy" by disposing of the products of their farms for British gold. It was indeed a crime. The Cow-Boys were men of little or no means,-ad- venturers, thieves,-who raided through the country to plunder the inhabitants of their cattle, grain, and other products, which were taken to the country " butted on the sea," shipped in flat-boats, and towed by the enemy to Long Island. They were not only guilty of theft, but they were guilty of murder also.

During and for several years after the Revolution there resided in the country "butted on the sea" persons who sympathized with the English. They were deeply imbued with the principles of a consti- tutional monarchy for the United Colonies, to be pre- sided over by some member of the royal household of

King George. They were members of a secret so- ciety organized in the colony, the object of which was to establish a monarchy, not only for the United Colonies, but for all the British provinces of North America. Of this class of persons was the resident of Pampaskeshank, who was a firm friend and patron of the Church of England, to which he gave of his means to extend the gospel into new settlements, and was one of the chief supporters of that church in Norwalk and a warm friend of Rev. Mr. Leamning, its pastor. He reasoned, "I have sworn allegiance to the King of England. That oath is as binding upon my conscience as the vow to serve my Maker." The house in which he died was demolished twenty- five years ago, the chimney of which was suffered to remain standing for the purposes heretofore stated, a drawing of which was taken in 1845 for Graham's Magazine, and at the time excited a lively interest in the minds of those who were familiar with its history and its surroundings. The drawing exhibited its two fireplaces, the flues of which, it has been asserted, are united into one above the cross-sticks, leaving a jog or set-off, upon which two persons can stand unperceived, and that there was a trap-door leading to a recess in the cellar of ample dimensions to accommodate sev- eral persons, used as a hiding-place by the Tories and Cow-Boys in the Revolution. It is said that one Miles Capstie, who resided in this old house, whom the sheriff of the county wanted, evaded him for several months by concealment in the places de- scribed. There is not the least truth in these state- ments. An examination of the old chimney stamps the whole as a creation of the imagination. Though the lone dweller of Pampaskeshank was no friend of the patriots, yet it would perhaps be far from the truth to assert that he was not a good man in other respects. He contributed to sustain the cause of morality and the church, and was ever kind to the poor. He de- parted this life in 1821, aged ninety, and his remains were buried in the northeast corner of his farm, near the road leading to Middlesex, over which the British marched when proceeding to capture Dr. Mathers and his people, in a locality selected by himself in vig- orous manhood. The plat of ground, triangular in shape, was a fit representative of his character, and its surroundings in harmony with its rough points. His grave is protected by ledges of rock in the midst of a forest of cedars, through which the winds sing a perpetual requiem over the remains of the departed.

TIIE NORWALK INDIANS.

The Norwalk Indians, when selecting sites for set- tlement, invariably had an eye to the beautiful in nature. They sought for some promontory from which they might have an extended outlook over the surrounding country. On the southern exposure, near its base, contiguous to a bountiful supply of wood and water, they arranged their villages. This gave them good drainage and protection from the

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north winds, leaving the plains beneath for cultiva- tion and burial-purposes.

The form and extent of those villages may be easily determined whenever the fields on which they were situated are plowed. By following the line and ex- tent of their shell-heaps south of and parallel with the wigwams or streets, we arrive at their length and may reckon the number of their houses upon eael line.

Most all the villages of the Mohawks in this town were built upon straight and parallel lines, each line containing an even number of wigwams, excepting the first, on which appears to have been an odd num- ber, which probably was the residence of the chief of the tribe or the eouneil-chamber in which they dis- cussed measures of war or peace. Though their tombs were several yards south of their tenements, they showed a due regard for the line upon which they were established, and in ahnost every instance they are found to have been parallel with the streets of their villages.

Upon the settlement of the town by the whites, the Indian trails were fenced by the owners of the land which they bounded, and they became the "king's highways." On the lines of the principal Mohawk village west of Meadow Street, on the land owned by the writer, is a ledge of loose and solid granite, upon which, probably, in the time of the tribe, was situated a factory for mortar-pestles and stone hatehets. The writer, when quarrying stone for the foundation of the house on the premises, found several pestles, some in an unfinished state, and three hatehets. Within a few rods of this work- shop the writer in 1867 unearthed a cubieal dish or tray formed of red elay. A survey of the Indian village at Ely's Neek shows that the rules were observed in the arrangement of their graves, shell- heaps, excepting that the village was situated upon a half-cirele, the ends of which rested upon a straight line running north and south.

Several years ago the present owner of Ely's Neek plowed up a eurious specimen of the handiwork of the Indians, which was taken away by some person. Probably it now adorns some relie-hunter's eabinct. Its length was thriee its width, and it was two inehes thiek, and appeared to have been composed of some sort of eement. Its face was divided by grooves into squares upon which were inseriptions. The propor- tions of their manufactured artieles show that they may have been familiar with numbers on quantity.

INDIAN CEMETERIES.

West of Norwalk River and south of Perie Island Creek arc three old Indian eemeteries, all within nat- ural boundaries. The first is situated between Pine and Judy's Creeks; the second, between Judy's and Village Creeks; the third, between Village Creek and the Pampaskeshank Brook, each plat being bounded east by Norwalk River and west by

the range of hills encompassing the city of South Norwalk and extending to the cove. Each tract was probably the patrimony of a sachem of the Mohawk Nation.

The skeletons of the aborigines exhumed in the centre and south cemeteries are invariably found be- neath clam- and oyster-shells, with their war-imple- ments, and facing towards the morning sun, the shells having been deposited there for the same pur- pose that their implements were. Probably it was in part an honorary custom, and for the inen only. It appears that at the death of a male of the tribe the living held a sort of a wake over his remains around his grave by feasting upon clams and oysters, the shells of which, and those uneaten, they tossed into the pit, with the idea that the occupant would not only need his bow and arrow to bring down game in the other world, but to remind him to hunt for shell-fish along the shores beyond. Not all the In- dian graves are filled with shells. Those found to be so held the remains of a sachem or chief, or other honored members of the tribc, the death and burial of whom attracted larger numbers than usual to the feast. Henee it is concluded that the quantity of shells in any particular grave denotes the man's standing in his tribe.

THE CANNIBALS OF NORWALK.

Within the limits of the old Indian cemetery, lying between Washington and Concord Streets, in this city, graves have been uneovered, of which over thirty were found to contain mutilated human boues. The writer has earefully examined more than twenty of the num- ber. The shells in these graves are of unusual pearly whiteness, which eannot now be accounted for. Every one of these graves is filled to the surface with shells and mutilated bones. Doubtless at the feast of human flesh large numbers were in attendance, and, as these graves also are filled to the surface, they were oeea- sions of especial interest and numerously attended by those who enjoyed a ehowder of human flesh and shell-fish, the refuse of which they threw promiseu- ously into the place prepared for its reception. In this class of graves no Indian implements have ever been found.

This is indeed a mysterious subjeet, and ean be solved only upon the hypothesis that Norwalk, before the advent of our ancestors, in 1650, was inhabited at some time in the past by a raee of cannibals, probably the aneestors of the elass whom they found in posses- sion of the country at that date. We are not ready to believe that they ate their kith and kin, though there is one faet which might be construed that they did so, which we will notiee hereafter.

The great Mohawk Nation in the height of their glory were eruel and oppressive, particularly towards those against whom they warred. They exacted tribute from those whom they had conquered, and when they entered the country of their cuemies to

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demand its payment they sent out runners in ad- vance who cried aloud, "We have come to suck your blood !" The historian gives an instance when those of the same nation ate their fellow-beings. After the burning of Schenectady by the French and Indians, in the winter of 1693, they were pursued and over- taken by the English and Mohawks, and after the engagement the Indians, under Col. Schuyler, burned about thirty corpses of the cnemy which they scalped and roasted and ate.

A critical examination of this kind of tombs has not brought to light the remains of a single Indian woman or child. This fact seems to indicate that they were either eaten or that they were cremated. The writer inclines to the belief that it was their custom to burn them. Most of Chestnut Strect was a large flat rock, but now removed, which bore the appearance of having been cracked and scaled by cx- cessive heat. ' It is now thought that it was an altar upon which the savages roasted their victims or cre- mated their women and children.

CHAPTER LI. NORWALK (Continued). THE REVOLUTION.

THE first reference to the war of the Revolution which appears in the town records is under date Dec. 5, 1774, and is as follows :

" Dec. 5, 1774. Whereas, This meeting have taken into consideration the matters contained in the association come into by the Continental Congress held at Philadelphia the 5th day of September, 1774, and ap- proved of by the lower house of assembly, and recommended by them to the several towns in this colony, to appoint committees for the purposes in the eleventh article in sd association contained. Do approve of the same, and in pursuance thereof do appoint Eliakim Raymond, John Cannon, Thadds, Betts, Stephen St. John 2d, Lemuel Brooks, Eliphalet Lock wood, Nathl. Benedict, Samucl Gruman, Goold Hoyt, Thos. Betts, Ozias Merwine, Phinehas Hanford, Daniel Betts, jr., Blackleach Jesup, Ezra Gregory, John Carter, James Richards, Samnel Richards, Gershom Raymond. Asa Hoyt, a committee for the purpose in sd Eleventh Article contained, during the pleasure of the town."

Feb. 6, 1775, it was voted, "That those persons which have been warned by the committee of inspection, to bring in their arms, shall not vote in choosing a com- mittec of inspection at this meeting."

At the same meeting were chosen Messrs. Phinehas Hanford, Steplien St. John (2), Thaddeus Betts, Na- thaniel Benedict, Osias Merwine, Lcinuel Brooks, Thomas Fitch, Uriah Rogers, Jabez Gregory, Seth Seymore, Timothy Fitch, Daniel St. Jolın, Blacklcach Jesup, Daniel Betts, Jr., Clap Raymond, Ezra Greg- ory, James Richards, Moscs Comstock, Samuel Cook Silliman, Samuel Richards, and Jesse Raymond, a committee of inspection during the pleasure of the town.

At the same mecting it was voted, that they disap- prove of ye unnecessary use of Gun-powder, and rec-

ommend it to the committee of inspection to take care of the matter.

Oct. 14, 1776, it was

" Voted, That the select men give a proper reward, to the persons ap- pointed and ordered by the authority to sct the watches, for their ser- vice, and draw an order on the town treasurer for the payment thereof. " Allso voted, That the select men make such provision for the watches as they shall think proper in regard to housing."

Dec. 2, same year :

"The select men are directed to transport six cannon such as they shall judge best for the defense of this town, from Salisbury; and provide carriages for the same, and also, a sufficient quantity of ball for the se- curity of the town."

During this period the oppressions of those who had the control of the sale of breadstuffs and other neces- sarics of life, became too tyrannical to be borne with patience by the citizens, and under date of March 12, 1777, the town voted that,

"The inhabitants by vote agree that they will assist the officers of this town in carrying into execution one certain law of this State, entitled an act to prevent monopolies and oppressions, by excessive and unreasonable prices for many of ye necessaries and conveniences of life."

At the same ineeting

" The inhabitants by major vote approve of what the authority and select men have done, in regard to hiring seventy-five men as a watch or guard to this town."

RECRUITING FOR THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.

Under this date the following record also appears concerning the enlistment of men for the Continental service :

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 124

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572